ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
National Action Plan on Forest Fire empowers all stakeholders to reduce vulnerability of forests against fire hazards
Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today informed that the Forest Survey of India  has carried out a study based on spatial analysis of forest fires detected over the past 17 years , and have identified the fire prone forest areas in the country. Based on the study, the forest area has been mapped under different fire prone classes as follows:
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S. No
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Category
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Forest Cover

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% of total forest cover
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1
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Extremely Fire Prone
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20 074.47
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2.81
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2
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Very Highly Fire Prone
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56 049.35
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7.85
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3
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Highly Fire Prone
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82 900.1 7
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11.61
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4
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Moderately Fire Prone
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94,126.68
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13.19
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5
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Less Fire Prone
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4 60 638.36
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64.54
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Total
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7,13, 789.03
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100.00
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has prepared National Action Plan on Forest Fire to minimize forest fires. The plan comprises taking actions by informing, enabling and empowering forest fringe communities and incentivizing them to work in tandem with the Forest Departments. It also comprises reducing vulnerability of forests against fire hazards, enhancing the capabilities of forest personnel and institutions in fighting fires, and speeding up recovery after a fire event. The Ministry has also constituted Central Monitoring Committee  for overseeing implementation of National Action Plan on Forest Fire.
The Ministry also supports the efforts of the States/ UTs in prevention and control of forest fire by providing financial assistance. The forest fire prevention and mitigation measures are funded under the Centrally Sponsored Forest Fire Prevention and Management Scheme, Development of Wildlife Habitats, and under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority. The funds are used for creation and maintenance of fire lines, construction of water conservation structures, procurement of firefighting equipment, awareness creation, and incentivizing villages/communities for protection against forest fire etc. Further, the forest fire prevention and its management is primarily the responsibility of concerned State Governments /UT Administration.
In the written reply it was stated that the Government has issued advisories to the States to generate awareness among the forest fringe communities to protect the forests from fire from time to time. Under the centrally sponsored scheme incentives are provided to the communities, Joint Forest Management Committees, Eco Development Committees for protecting the forests from fires.
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
EWS Applicants
Department of Personnel and Training has issued Office Memorandum No. 36039/1/2019-Estt.,dated 31.01.2019, for providing 10% reservation in Direct Recruitment in civil posts and services in the Government of India, for persons belonging to the EWSs who, are not covered under the scheme of reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs, and whose family has gross annual income below Rs 8.00 lakh  from all sources i.e. salary, agriculture, business, profession, etc. for the financial year prior to the year of application. Further, persons whose family owns or possesses any of the following assets shall be excluded from being identified as EWS, irrespective of the family income:-
- 5 acres of agricultural land and above;
- Residential flat of 1000 sq ft. and above;
- Residential plot of 100 sq. yards and above in notified municipalities;
- Residential plot of 200 sq. yards and above in areas other than the notified municipalities.
Further, the property held by a "Family" in different locations or different places/cities would be clubbed while applying the land or property holding test to determine EWS status.
It is the responsibility of the Officer who issues the Income and Asset Certificate for EWS to verify all relevant documents after following the due process as prescribed by the respective State/UT.It is also the responsibility of the appointing authorities to verify the veracity of the Income and Asset certificate submitted by the candidate through the certificate issuing authority.
Appointing Authorities should strictly follow the instructions so that it may not be possible for an unscrupulous person to secure employment on the basis of a false claim, and if any person gets an appointment on the basis of such false claim, her/his services shall be terminated invoking the conditions contained in the offer of appointment.
This information was provided by Union Minister of State  Development of North Eastern Region , MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
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SNC
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Ministry of Culture
PM pays tributes to Shaheed Bhagat Singh on his Jayanti
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to Shaheed Bhagat Singh on his Jayanti.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;
"आजादी के महान सेनानी शहीद भगत सिंह को उनकी जन्म-जयंती पर विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि।
The brave Bhagat Singh lives in the heart of every Indian. His courageous sacrifice ignited the spark of patriotism among countless people. I bow to him on his Jayanti and recall his noble ideals."
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
17th MIFF to be held from 29 May to 4 June, 2022
Entries to open from 15th February, 2022
Much awaited by film makers and cineastes in India and abroad, the 17th edition of Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short Fiction and Animation films  will be held from 29 May to 4 June, 2022 at the Films Division complex, Mumbai. The on-line entry is open from 15 February 2022 to 15 March 2022 and film makers can log on to www.miff.in or to https://filmfreeway.com/MumbaiInternationalFilmFestival-MIFF for entering films in different competition categories.
Films completed between 1st September, 2019 and 31st December, 2021 are eligible for entry in MIFF-2022. The Best Documentary of the Festival will receive a Golden Conch and Rs.10 lakhs cash award. The winning films in different categories will receive handsome cash awards, Silver Conches, Trophies and Certificates. As India is celebrating "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav", the current edition has instituted a special award for Best Short Film on the theme, India@75. The festival will also honour a veteran personality from the Indian non-feature film fraternity with the prestigious V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award carrying a cash component of Rs. 10 lakhs, a trophy and citation.
The oldest and largest festival for non-feature films in South Asia, MIFF, organized by Films Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and supported by Government of Maharashtra, attracts film makers from all over the world. Apart from competition and non-competition sections, interactive sessions like workshops, master classes, open forum and B2B sessions are major highlights of the festival.
The response to the 16th edition of biennial MIFF held in 2020 was overwhelming, signifying a vibrant documentary culture in India and the world. The 16th MIFF received a record 871 entries from India and abroad and was attended by a number of prominent documentary, animation and short film makers from India and other parts of the world. The grand jury comprised of eminent film personalities from France, Japan, Singapore, Canada, Bulgaria and India.
For queries, the Festival Directorate can be contacted on +91-22-23522252 / 23533275 and miffindia[at]gmail[dot]com
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Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
Water-Aerodromes In The Country
There are two existing water-aerodromes in the country- at Sardar Sarovar Dam  and Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad in Gujarat. The first seaplane operations commenced on 31th October, 2020 between Sabarmati River Front in Ahmedabad and Statue of Unity in Kevadia. Later, the same was stopped by the Selected Airline Operator  from 11th April, 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic and operational reasons.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways  has signed an MoU with Ministry of Civil Aviation  for development of Seaplane services. In addition to two existing water-aerodromes mentioned above, many other sites for water aerodromes have been identified in the States/UTs of Gujarat, Assam, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands. Further MoCA is continuously engaging with the concerned stakeholders for making seaplane operations viable.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
Cabinet
Cabinet approves Allotment of 5 MHz spectrum in 700 MHz band to Indian Railways
Enhances safety and security of train operations
Brings strategic shift in Railways operations & safety
Ensures seamless communication with loco pilots and guards,
thereby improving safety
Provides secure voice, video and data communication services for operational, safety and security applications
Estimated investment of the total project is more than Rs. 25,000 Crore
Project will be completed in next 5 years
In addition, Railways has approved Train Collision Avoidance System, an indigenously developed system, which will help in avoiding train collisions thereby ensuring passenger safety
Giving a boost to ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ mission, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for allotment allotment of 5 MHz Spectrum in 700 MHz frequency band to Indian Railways for public safety and security services at stations and in trains.
With this spectrum, Indian Railways has envisaged to provide LTE  based Mobile Train Radio Communication on its route. The estimated investment in the project is more than Rs. 25,000 Crore. The project will be completed in the next 5 years.
In addition to this, Indian Railways has approved TCAS , an indigenously developed ATP  System, which will help in avoiding train collisions thereby reducing accidents and ensuring passenger safety.
It brings a strategic shift in Railways’ operations and maintenance regime. It will help in improving the safety and increasing the line capacity to accommodate more trains using the existing infrastructure. The modern rail network will result in reduced transportation cost and higher efficiency. Also, it will attract multinational industries to set up manufacturing units to fulfill the ‘Make in India’ mission and generate employment.
The purpose of the LTE for Indian Railways is to provide secure and reliable voice, video and data communication services for operational, safety and security applications. It will be used for modern signalling and train protection systems and ensure seamless communication between loco pilots and guards. It will also enable Internet of Things  based remote asset monitoring especially of coaches, wagons & locos, and live video feed of CCTV cameras in the train coaches to ensure efficient, safer and faster train operations.
The Spectrum charges may be levied based on formula basis as prescribed by Department of Telecommunications for Royalty Charges and License Fee for Captive use as recommended by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.
Special Service and Features
Sri Lankan boat intercepted with 300 kg of Heroin along with huge quantity of arms and ammunition in Indian water
Acting on a specific intelligence received by Indian Coast Guard and Narcotics Control Bureau, a Sri Lankan fishing vessel Ravihansi was intercepted by Indian Coast Guard on 25.03.2021 in Indian waters off the coast of Vizhinjam, Kerala. The vessel was brought to Vizhinjam harbour and NCB Chennai Zonal Unit took over the custody of the boat and seized 300.323 kg of Heroin along with five AK -47 Rifles and 1000 rounds of 9mm ammunitions. A number of incriminating documents were also seized from the occupants of the vessel.
The heroin was found concealed inside the water tank of the vessel in 301 packets. Image of a flying horse was found on all the heroin packets, which is a usual practice of drug trafficking syndicates to brand their drugs. Further, investigations so far indicate that an unknown vessel carried the Heroin and arms consignment from Chabahar Port, Iran and handed over the same to Sri Lankan fishing boat Ravihansi in the high seas near Lakshadweep. Ravihansi was then trafficking the consignment to Sri Lanka when the Indian authorities intercepted it.
All the six Sri Lankan crew members namely L. Y. Nandana, HKGB Dassppriya, AHS Gunasekara, SA Senarath, T. Ranasingha and D. Nissanka present in the boat were arrested on 27.03.2021 by NCB and remanded to judicial custody.
The intelligence inputs and the investigations so far indicate that a Pakistan based drug trafficking network is involved in the current seizure. There have been seizures of huge quantity heroin in the Arabian Sea by both Indian as well as other enforcement agencies which are believed to have trafficked by the same network. This seizure also unveils the nexus between narcotics trafficking and extremist elements.
NCB acknowledges the dedicated efforts of Sh. Amit Ghawate , Sh. M. Suresh Kumar , Sh. Ashish Kumar Ojha , Sh. Shaiju Varghese , Sh. Mathew Varghese , Sh. Samson , Smt. D. Pramila , Sh. Shanmugam  and other officers associated to the case at NCB, Chennai Zonal Unit.
This is stated in a press release issued by Sh. Amit Ghawate .
Ministry of Culture
The first introductory meeting of All Women Ambassadors’ Group organised
The group aims to gain an insight into female leadership and gender equality in political and private sector
Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world: Smt Meenakashi Lekhi
In a unique initiative , the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi led the first introductory meeting of All Women Ambassadors’ Group in New Delhi today. All the Female Ambassadors to India, spouses of male ambassadors and female Charge d’Affaires of all embassies attended the meeting. The other attendees of the event included female officers from both the Ministries of External Affairs and Culture. The event was organized as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of External Affairs to celebrate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
The intention to form this group lies in the keen desire to realize the universal theme of sisterhood and stand in solidarity with each other and for each other. The request to form an All-Women Ambassadors’ Groups was floated to the Minister by H.E. Ritva Koukku-Ronde, Ambassador of Finland to India.
The formation of the grouping is of immense significance in the light of limited representation of women in the international diplomatic arena. Through periodic meetings and discussions, the group aims to gain an insight into female leadership and gender equality in political and private sector.
Smt. Lekhi underscored the importance of this network as a means to facilitate communication and create a support web for all Women Ambassadors to India. Smt. Lekhi spoke on Gender equality which according to her is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. She also highlighted the need to realize the Sustainable Development Goal 5 i.e. Gender Equality through Women Empowerment to create an inclusive and just society. The event also provided a cultural touch of India to all the Ambassadors as there were cultural performances organized by the Ministry of Culture.
The Kathak virtuoso Padma Shri Smt. Shovana Narayan presented a beautiful dance presentation which was followed by a presentation from Papiha Desai and dance troupe on “Dances of India” highlighting the kaleidoscopic diversity of dance forms of India – Garba, Dandiya, Giddah among many others.
Smt. Lekhi highlighted the importance of the timing of the formation of the All-Women Ambassadors’ Group in the background of the just concluded Navaratri celebrations. She also informed the Ambassadors of the rituals and practices associated with the festival. Special Navratri cuisine was served for all Ambassadors at the event to provide them an insight into the Culinary Cultural Heritage of India. The entire event was planned under the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav which celebrates 75 years of India’s independence.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Poor hygiene in Meat Shops/Slaughter Houses
In the present scenario, Corona virus does not spread through meat and fish products. Fish/Meat Markets and Slaughter houses in the country are controlled by local bodies and State Governments. However, some States have informed that, there are few markets where poor hygienic conditions prevail.
Guidelines for slaughter houses in the country have been prescribed under regulation 2.1.2 , Schedule 4, Part IV of the Food Safety and Standard  Regulations, 2011. The guidelines cover specific hygienic and sanitary practices to be followed by Food Business Operators engaged in manufacture, processing, storing and selling of meat and meat products. State /UT Governments also have their own guidelines for slaughter houses and slaughtering of animals.
FSSAI has launched ‘Clean and Safe Meat Campaign’ wherein, in the first phase, States/UTs were advised to conduct food safety audit of their municipal slaughter houses through FSSAI recognised third party audit agencies. As per the reports, a total of 37 municipal slaughter houses have been audited across the country. In respect of the slaughter houses which were found to be non-compliant, Commissioner of Food Safety of the concerned State/UT have been advised to issue necessary instructions to improve the hygienic and sanitary conditions as per the provisions prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and Rules and Regulations made thereunder. Further, in the second phase of the campaign, FSSAI has requested all State/UT Governments to conduct food safety audit of all central and state licensed slaughter houses in the country.
FSSAI has also launched a ‘hygiene rating’ scheme aimed at improving the standards of food hygiene in food businesses whereby various categories of food businesses, including meat retail shops, have been encouraged to obtain ‘hygiene rating’.
Further, the implementation and enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 primarily rests with the State/UT Governments.
Regular surveillance, monitoring and inspection is undertaken by State/UT Governments to check compliance of the provisions laid down under Regulation 2.5 of Food Safety and Standards  Regulations, 2011 relating to quality standards for meat and meat products along with guidelines for hygienic and sanitary practices prescribed in Schedule 4 of Food Safety and Standards  Regulations, 2011.
This information was given in a written reply by the Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, in Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
JNPA organizes grand celebrations on the occasion of International Day of Yoga
Mumbai, 21 June 2023
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority , one of India’s premier port, was part of the global celebration of International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2023 under the guidance of Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways with the theme of “Yoga SAGARMALA”. In collaboration with all stakeholders, JNPA hosted a series of events and activities aimed at promoting the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of individuals.
Spearheading the celebrations at JNPA were Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPA and Shri Unmesh Sharad Wagh, IRS, Deputy Chairman, JNPA who performed asanas along with the Head of departments and employees of JNPort.
Explaining the importance of yoga in one’s life, Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman, JNPA said, “Yoga is a timeless tradition that promotes harmony, unity, and well-being. Through this event, we aim to create a platform for individuals to embrace the practice of yoga and its positive impact on their lives. We encourage everyone to participate and discover the joys of this ancient practice. We are delighted to host the International Day of Yoga celebrations at JNPA.”
This special session was preceded by a week-long events featuring a diverse range of yoga sessions and demonstrations.
In first-of-it-kind initiative, JNPA conducted a yoga session at World Heritage Site  wherein JNPA employees and other stakeholders performed yoga with enthusiasm. They had an experience of lifetime since it was the first time Yoga was being performed at this historic place.
A special yoga session for women employees of JNPA was also organised at Wharf area at Coastal Berth, along with the Yoga sessions at JNPA Terminals- on-board vessels under the guidance of yoga experts.
JNPA Port partners-Port of Singapore and Port of Antwerpbruges also conducted Yoga program at their respective Ports.
JNPA support staff, CISF personnel along with their family members and students from the schools in JNPA Township also performed yoga at their respective venues where they had an opportunity to learn and practice different forms of yoga, ensuring a holistic experience for individuals at all levels.| PIB Mumbai | NJ/D.Rane
सोशल मिडियावर आम्हाला फॉलो करा:@PIBMumbai /PIBMumbai /pibmumbai pibmumbai[at]gmail[dot]com /PIBMumbai /pibmumbai
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Vice President's Secretariat
Vice President Greets People on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi
The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has greeted the people on the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. In a message, he said that Lord Ganesh is revered as an embodiment of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. Starting a good work in the auspicious name of Lord Ganesh is always considered lucky and propitious, he added.
Following is the text of Vice President’s message:
“I extend my warm greetings and good wishes to the people of our country on the auspicious occasion of ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’.
Lord Ganesh is revered as an embodiment of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune in our country. Starting a good work in the auspicious name of Lord Ganesh is always considered lucky and propitious by people of our country.
May this festival bring peace, prosperity and harmony in our country.”
Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation
UP to achieve ODF status by 2nd October, 2018
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the progress of the Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin  in Lucknow with all District Magistrates of the State through Video Conferencing last evening. Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Government of India was also in attendance, along with Chief Secretary Uttar Pradesh and other senior officials of the state.
The Chief Minister reiterated the state’s commitment to achieve open defecation free  status for UP by 2nd October 2018, one year ahead of the national deadline of 2nd October 2019. He highlighted the importance of making the SBM-G a Jan Andolan, and not just a government program. He said that the districts that have done well are the ones who have successfully gotten all sections of society involved. He also appealed to all DMs to take accountability and involve all sections of society in the mission, and spend at least one hour every day to personally monitor progress.
The Chief Minister also asked the DMs to leverage social media for better monitoring of implementation of the program in the field. He focused on the quality of the process being followed for behavior change triggering, and instructed the DMs to ensure timely payment of incentives to Swachhagrahis and masons.
UP has made significant progress in the last six months, with the sanitation coverage for the state going past 70%. Seven districts and over 28,000 villages have been declared ODF in the state. Nationally, the sanitation coverage has increased from 39% in 2014 to nearly 85%, with over 3.75 lakh villages, 389 districts, 13 States and 4 UTs already declared ODF.
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